You Are Home, Artist Statement

You Are Home is a three-poster series validating an invidividual yet relatable human experience regarding happiness. Since being diagnosed with depression and anxiety, my primary battles have stemmed from the persistent desire to seek the next place, rather than find contentment where I am. This theme became prevalent to me in my personal writing over the last six years, as well as in my travel experiences. Each illustration and photograph exemplifies the states I have either been to or lived in. These include the deserts of New Mexico, the cliffsides of Southern California, and the freshwater lakes of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. To signify a constant “self” throughout my journey, the three portraits are the only elements devoid of color amidst varying landscapes. The phrase “YOU ARE HOME” can be interpreted in two ways: identifying one’s physical body as home, or identifying whatever location one is brought to as home. The hand-written notes above each figure were taken verbatum from my traveling journal, with the first quote written in 2019 and the last in 2022. As an artist, my goal is to spark conversations about the human condition by pushing my audience to a deeper understanding of themselves.